Healing Helena
by Jade Cherry Blossom
Summary: A short story about HG Wells recovering from her grief.


I don't own anything I just enjoy writing, I hope you enjoy reading.

A single tear slid down the woman's pale cheek as she looked at the two pictures hidden away in her locket. One was black and white, clearly old fashioned and the other, fully colored and more modern. She supposed that it was only fitting, they represented her so well, old fashioned and yet modern, two halves of her. She kissed the tip of her finger and pressed it to the modern picture before repeating the action with the old one and closed the locket. With a long mournful sigh Helena flopped back on her bed. She could feel more tears threatening to fall and for once she allowed them to do so. The pain in her heart, a pain she's carried around for so long, seemed to be so much greater tonight. She longed for her little girl who she knew she would never see again. Her baby, who had been ripped away from her so violently and she could still feel her anger over her death. But now, along with her anger and grief she had a new longing, a longing for a woman with bouncy curly hair and eyes the color of English country spring grass.

She turned onto her side and pulled her pillow close to her chest as she tried her best not to sob aloud. Her body shook from the force of restraining them, her throat burned with the tears. But it was good that she was feeling the pain and expressing it, at least that's what her therapist keeps telling her. She's not supposed to hold it all in, she supposed to let it out, let the poison bleed from her soul. And while that sounded all well and good in theory it wasn't something Helena was eager to embrace. She hated crying, hating feeling out of control. But just as she was about to finally let go completely there was a knock at her bedroom door.

"Helena? Honey, dinner is ready." Jane Latimer called through her door. Jane Latimer, Pete Latimer's mother and, surprisingly, a Regent had taken Helena in when she was detained after nearly destroying the world. To everyone's surprise she had vouched for the girl, went to bat for her claiming that, with therapy, she could be rehabilitated and didn't need to be re-bronzed. That, along with a good word from Artie and Leena, though Helena didn't know about that, had been just enough for the Regents to grant Helena one more chance but Jane had been put in charge of her. She's became her guardian for lack of a better word. The woman had taken her into her home, given her space and support and has been keeping a close eye on her. She's driven Helena to every therapy session, provided her with plenty of empty journals to write in and even gifted her a feather pin and ink well set, something Helena cherished.

"Helena?" Jane called again when she didn't get an answer. "Are you alright?"

"I am fine." Helena called in what she hoped was a calm and clear voice.

There was a pause on the other side of the door before a gentle reply came. "Are you sure sweetheart?"

Helena buried her face in her pillow. No, she wasn't sure because she wasn't fine. And as much as she wanted to reach out to Jane, wanted the woman to comfort her like she's done many times over the past several months, she can't seem to find the words. But she doesn't need to. When she didn't answer Jane cracked open the bedroom door to peek in at her and what she saw broke her heart. Helena was curled up in a fetal position, body tense and hiding in her pillow. No, she was far from fine. She walked over and, as if Helena was her own daughter, laid down beside her and wrapped her arm around her.

Helena tensed for several minutes before hesitantly turning over and burying herself into Jane's warm embrace. Tucked safely away in her rescuers arms she allowed the full force of her emotions to hit her and she sobbed. She sobbed away her pain and her grief and her loneliness, then she sobbed her gratitude. She was grateful to have someone like Jane in her life, someone willing to stand up for and stand beside her. Someone to help her heal and didn't judge her. And once she couldn't sob anymore she simply laid there, spending a rare vulnerable moment feeling safe and protected. But all too soon the moment passed and Helena scooted away. "Thank you."

Jane smiled softly at the other woman. "You're welcome. Get cleaned up, dinner is on the table." And with that everything was back to normal. Jane left Helena to freshen up and collect herself.

Left alone Helena went to her private in suite bathroom to wash her face and just breathe. As she looked at her red rimmed eyes in the mirror she couldn't help but feel how light she felt now. Yes, she'd cried her eyes out, yes she'd let go of her emotions and yes she'd let Jane Latimer hold her while she cried. But it had been worth it. And in that moment Helena knew that given enough time she would heal and maybe, just maybe she would get to see Myka again, with her bouncy curls and English country grass green eyes.


End file.
